From Hajdúhadház to Vervins and Paris
Imre Égerházi’s giant panneau about war and peace
In the small French town of Saint Michel near the Belgian border, the European Artists ’Creative Camp closed its 6th course in the summer. Its pillar member, and honorary president, the painter Imre Égerházi, was entrusted with the honorary task by the municipality and mayor of Vervains, one of the supporting cities of the creative colony: to create a panneau of 6 x 4 meters in size, depicting the 400th anniversary of the 1598 peace treaty between King Henry IV and the Spanish ruler Philip II.
The artist was given complete artistic freedom in composing the panel. He has been shaping the plan of the artwork in his creative house in Hajdúhadház for months, and these days he sends his final, refined ideas to Vervains.
Imre Égerházi also spoke about the background of this request: The mayor saw the colorful catalogues of the artists at the Hortobágy Creative Camp, thus the western world could get a picture of artworks born in the Carpathian Basin. And also saw the panneaus, made by members of this homestead in the plains, at Dr Földi János Primary and Art School and in the Hajós Alfréd room of the Aranybika Hotel, in Hajdúhadház. These historical works have garnered great professional recognition in their circles. The mayor, after seeing my panneau titled Hajdúk II, asked me, in advance last year, to paint the Vervains peace treaty on a large board when the anniversary comes.
The well-known historical sensitivity of the artists of the region, the commitment to national consciousness, is also indicated by the recent action from Hadház, which, quoting Imre Égerházi, “we were informed that the number of History classes has been reduced” and, in addition to the well-known primary school panneaus they made two historically themed murals for the Vocational High School and Grammar School: Hungarian Myths and Legends, by Imre Égerházi, synthesized Hungarian prehistory, while painter András Gaál of Csíkszereda (also a member of the Hortobágy Creative Camp), made a new visual experience for many Hungarian students with his historic map of Hungary decorated with famous Hungarian national leaders.
In his creative workshop Imre Égerházi has been studying 16th century French history with meticulous care since summer. “I had to get to know Henrik and his actions thoroughly based on descriptions, his habits as a king and as a person, how he engaged with his subjects, how he waged war, what clothes he wore, and I gained knowledge about the protocols of the peace-making period, the behavior of the victors and the defeated on this occasion. And many other problems arose during the design of the panneau, as the peace treaty will be surrounded by war scenes, and it will have the coat of arms of Vervains, from weapons to figures to human, ethical behaviors, and relationships. Thanks to his French translations and the books sent to me, I can thank Zsolt Maghy a lot, and the French also kept sending me documents. With the help of these, I got closer to the age, and I might say, became clear to me.
Plans are already eagerly awaited in Vervains. If accepted, the artist will travel to France and begin painting the panel.
The first negotiation of the peace treaty took place in Vervains, and the document was signed in Notre-Dame, Paris, as Imre Égerházi refers to the historical background. Thus, on May 2, 1998, the whole country will celebrate the distinguished anniversary, from Vervains to Paris. If I manage to complete this not easy task duly, I can bring joy not only to myself, but perhaps also to the Hungarian people, that some of the great French celebrations take place during the work of one of its nations’ sons.
A.L.
Táj-kép, excerpt from Hajdú-Bihari Napló (Hajdúság, Hortobágy, and Tisza Mente Edition), 1997/10/30